Gene Chizik is 1-for-2 so far in putting together his Auburn staff. Bringing back linebackers coach James Willis from Tommy Tuberville's staff - which was especially good on the defensive side of the ball - was a plus.

Gene Chizik said it the day he was introduced as Auburn's head football coach.

He said it after his formal introduction, as he answered questions in a more casual setting for a circle of reporters.

He said, "I don't coach for money."

Easy for him to say after accepting a job that's expected to almost double his annual income to about $2 million a year, but there's no reason to dispute him and more than one reason to believe him.

At Auburn's insistence, Chizik didn't use his agent, Jimmy Sexton, to negotiate a preliminary letter of agreement outlining the general terms of the deal. That's almost unheard of for new coaches at major programs.

In addition, it appears that Chizik has cut ties with Sexton, although their working relationship was barely two years old.

Auburn AD Jay Jacobs said Chizik didn't talk about money before he accepted the job, except to ask for a raise above his Iowa State salary, because to take a new position without a bump would make him look foolish.

Auburn has yet to release specific salary terms, but Jacobs did say that Chizik's contract will be heavy on incentives.

The more he accomplishes, the more he makes.

It'll be interesting to see how hard those targets are to reach because, if his basic deal calls for $2 million a year, Chizik will be paid less than at least six other SEC head coaches, and he'll make less than four of the other five coaches in the SEC West.

In the division, Chizik will find only new Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen - who signed for an annual $1.2 million - below him on the salary scale.

He'll make even less if Jacobs takes him up on an intriguing offer. A person familiar with the conversation said, after he was hired, Chizik told Jacobs, if he needed more money to help pay Auburn's new assistant coaches, the AD should take $400,000 from the head coach's salary.

If Chizik indeed made that offer, it shows that he understands a head coach is only as good as his assistants.

He's 1-for-2 so far in putting together his Auburn staff. Bringing back linebackers coach James Willis from Tommy Tuberville's staff - which was especially good on the defensive side of the ball - was a plus.

Getting turned down by Georgia offensive line coach Stacy Searels was a minus.

Searels is one of the best in the business. When the Auburn alum said no to Mama's call, it gave credence to the word on the coaching grapevine that some potential assistants have concerns about the state of the Auburn program, from the returning talent to the existing power structure.

Jacobs said there's a clear chain of command. He said Chizik reports to him and he reports to President Jay Gogue. End of discussion.

Does anyone really believe there aren't other fingers in the pie?

Auburn's ability to compete again as soon as possible may be measured by its willingness to spend the money on assistant coaches that it's not spending on its new head coach.

Tennessee didn't throw an extraordinary amount of money at new head coach Lane Kiffin, who'll make $2 million a year to start, but the school is expected to pay his nine on-field assistants as much or more in total.

That would put the Vols near the top of the SEC's food chain for staff salaries. Alabama topped that list this year, with Nick Saban's nine assistant coaches making about $2.5 million combined.

Do you get what you pay for? For its money, Alabama got a 12-0 regular season, a No. 1 national ranking and a fourth-quarter lead in the SEC Championship Game.

Auburn has paid its assistants well, at between $1.8 and $1.9 million, but it may have to go higher to put together the kind of staff Chizik will need to go head-to-head with Alabama.

Money talks, and the next statement from Auburn will be Chizik's hires.